RS8- Let's Not Like Them
by 90TheGeneral09
Summary: After Calvin Gabriel got out of the limousine at Andre Kriegman's house on the evening of Sunday, April 29, 2001, this is the conversation that followed.


**Let's Not Like Them**

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 **A/N: This is the last of the one-chapter or "one-shot" stories in the Restoration Series. This is also the last of the Restoration Series stories. 100% of the series is now uploaded, present on the site with at least one chapter. With three stories- RS5, RS6, and RS7- still in-progress, that means the series is about 60% of the way to full completion. But in terms of at least being back on the site, with the upload of RS8, that has now been accomplished. Considering the whole project was begun just short of 6 months ago, I consider that satisfactory progress.**

 **This is the only story in the Restoration Series for which I was able to recover absolutely nothing. I didn't have even one sentence, one word to prompt me on how the previous author wrote this brief story, what dialogue it contained, or even how brief it really was. On a few stories I was able to recover a remarkable amount of original text that I proceeded to weave in as I built the rest of the story around it. With this one, all I had was my personal recollection: this story's title, and the focus of it, which is a brief conversation in the limousine on prom night after the camera is turned off.**

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The rear left door of the rented Lincoln Town Car limousine swung shut, and outside, Calvin Gabriel turned away and headed toward the Kriegman residence. Almost the very second that Calvin closed the door, the mood in the car seemed to change.

"Okay, I don't like him," Sarah said.

The handful of formally-dressed teenagers still in the car cracked up laughing, but the laughter seemed oddly forced and didn't last like it had so many other times during the evening.

Greg reached over and shut off the camera. "I don't like him, either."

"Cal's not- he isn't like Andre," Rachel said, a little defensive. "Seriously, guys. I mean- he hangs out with him but he isn't like that."

"Why does he hang out with him, though?" Josh asked. "I mean, like, I believe you, Rachel, but why?"

"I don't know."

"I've gone to school with Andre for years," Greg said. "He doesn't just take to somebody like that. Like- dude, he doesn't 'take' to anybody. Andre seems like he hates the whole world, and Cal-" the blond broke off uncertainly. "I just think there's something 'off' about him. He _acts_ pretty normal but I don't know if he really is."

"He- his mind kind of goes places," Rachel said. "Well, what I mean is he thinks a lot. And he keeps things to himself. Doesn't mean he's hiding anything."

"He's best friends with the kid who hates everybody and he isn't hiding anything?" Josh asked, skepticism clear in his voice.

"I've known him longer than he's known Andre," Rachel said insistently. "He would've told me if he had something big that he didn't want to tell most people about. I guess maybe he trusts Andre more than he should, but he trusts me. I know he does. He'd tell me if he was… 'hiding something', which I don't think he is, anyway."

"Maybe there's something he doesn't want you to know about, either," Sarah said. "I mean- okay, I kind of take back what I said. I was kind of joking. I like Cal okay, he seems like a nice guy. But- that's just it. He seems like a nice guy."

"I kept wondering what he was thinking about," Greg said. "I don't think his mind was on the Prom, or on college or something."

"So- what, do you guys think he's with the CIA or something?" Rachel asked, and the teens all laughed again.

"No, no, Rachel, not like- okay, no," Josh fumbled. "Listen, think about it." He looked around the car. "I think we can all agree Cal's a nice guy, right?"

"Yeah."

"Sure."

"Yeah, he is."

"Well, why's he friends with Andre Kriegman- who none of us think is a nice guy?"

"That's exactly my point," Greg said, nodding. "There's something about those guys. They're like best bros, and, seriously, I get nervous about anybody that Andre Kriegman likes that much."

Sarah wiggled her hand suggestively. "You don't think they're, you know-?"

"Fags?" Greg blurted.

"Subtle, Greg," Josh commented.

"It's what I do."

"Maybe they're _literally_ rocking the ass, you know, up in Andre's room," Josh said.

"Subtle, Josh," Greg said.

"It's what _I_ do," Josh replied, smirking.

"Nice, guys," Rachel said, laughing.

"I'm not sure what the deal is with them," Matt, the third remaining boy in the car, said. "I know we kinda keep saying it but them being best friends like that creeps me out. It's not Cal, not really. But it's Andre, and kinda by, you know, extension and stuff, I feel like I don't like anyone that Andre does."

"What's it take for Andre to like somebody, anyway?" Greg asked. "Dude doesn't like anyone but suddenly he meets Cal back in, what, 1997, and it's like they're long-lost brothers."

"I've never understood it," Rachel admitted. "Really. Me and Cal, we always got along, but Andre always seemed like he hated me."

"Don't take it personal, Andre hates everybody," Josh assured her.

"No, I- I don't take it personally," Rachel said, laughing a little. "But I- you know, sometimes, actually more than just sometimes, I wish Andre and Cal weren't friends. I'd like Andre to just… go… and then Cal can be friends with whoever and it won't be so awkward whenever Andre's around."

"It's a lot more than awkward whenever Andre's around," Greg said.

"I _wanna_ like him," Sarah added, "but it's like I can't, not really, not completely or something- you know? Like, as long as he's best friends with Andre, I can't really, actually be friends with him."

"Yeah," Josh agreed.

"That's basically it," Greg added.

"So what the- what _is_ it with those two?" Greg asked. "They got something going on, I know we all feel it. What is it?"

"Maybe they're just gay," Sarah said, and everyone laughed.

"We went over that," Matt replied.

"I mean, why was Andre naked, then?" Sarah asked.

"I don't think he actually was," Rachel said. "It's just- Cal wanted to get rid of us and he's not the best at making things up on the spot. See, that's how I know he isn't- that there's nothing really bad going on with them. Cal can be kinda shy, but he isn't hiding some dark secret or something. Cal's too nice for that. Even if Andre wanted to get him into- I don't know, vandalism or stealing or something, Cal wouldn't, 'cause he knows better."

"I- well, maybe," Josh said. "I sure hope you're right.

"I don't like either of them," Greg said suddenly. "No, like, I'm sorry, Rachel, but I don't like either one of them. I say, let's not like them. Let's just- not like them. We can at least _want_ to like Cal, but as long as he's besties with Andre and none of us really know what's up with that, I don't really want to be around either of 'em."

The teenagers in the limousine fell silent for a few moments, the atmosphere having gotten a little tense and uncomfortable.

"Are you gonna tell 'em that?" Sarah asked.

"Do you think I should?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

"Next time I see Andre," Greg said with conviction, "I'm gonna tell him what I really think. Seriously, I've been too nice with him this year. In general, actually. Way too many people have passed up a chance to tell that guy to take his Neo-Nazi act and just shove it."

"You remember the bowling alley, like, four, five years ago?" Josh asked.

"Sure, you, Greg and me were there," Rachel said. "That was- yeah, that was 1998, I think."

"Andre goes and gets a strike, he yells 'Hail Hitler!' and Cal just stood there and laughed. Like it was _funny_. And then he tried to make all these excuses to you, Rachel!"

"I heard about that," Sarah said. "I'm kinda glad I wasn't there. Andre… look. If Cal isn't hiding something dark, I think Andre is. You know that guy who got up in that clock tower in Texas, like at some college there?"

"Yeah- Whitman or somebody?" Josh replied.

"Well… I'm probably just getting too worked up about it, but… Andre seems like the type of guy who would do something like that in college."

"In college," Josh said, "not here."

"Well, how come you're so sure, Josh?" Matt asked.

"Tielson doesn't have any clock towers."

The tension in the limo broke as the teenagers laughed, partly out of nervousness and relief. It gradually petered out, and the boys and girls sat around, a little awkwardly, as they pulled up and Matt got out.

"See you guys," he said, stepping out and closing the door, a variety of farewells following him.

"Cal's _way_ too nice a guy to be hanging out with Andre," Sarah said.

"He is," Rachel agreed.

"Okay, I wanna ask- what makes you so sure Andre'd go shoot people from a clock tower or something?" Josh asked, looking at Sarah.

"Just a feeling I have about him."

"Do you think anybody should- I don't know, report it to somebody?" Greg asked.

"No, well- I said I was probably exaggerating anyway. At this point all we have to do is just wait for finals week and graduation and then we'll never see him again."

"Till the class reunion, anyway," Greg cracked.

"Oh, wow, I can't wait for that!" Rachel burst out, energetic and heavily sarcastic. "Hey, Class of 2001! Your big favorite's here tonight, voted Most Valuable Psycho, Most Likely To Shoot People From A College Clocktower, and Most Unpopular Classmate, Andre Kriegman!"

The teens cracked up laughing again, and this time it was genuine, relieving a lot of tension and uncertainty.

"So next week I'm gonna find Andre in the halls and tell him to shove his Neo-Nazi crap up his ass," Greg recounted. "And, uh, at the reunion, like, ten years from now, we're all gonna have a lot of fun remembering, well, how fun it was not having Andre around for ten years."

"Greg, he's gonna kill you," Josh said. "Like, you go up and just talk to him like that, he's the type that might seriously just attack you."

"Well, I'll cry and run like a bitch," Greg said, shrugging, and the teens in the car all laughed again.

"Good plan, Greg," Rachel laughed.

"Hey, what do you guys wanna bet Cal's actually the psycho and Andre's just, like, diverting everyone's attention or something?" Josh asked suddenly.

"Get real, Josh," Rachel said.

"Yeah, what Rachel said," Greg chimed in.

"You drive a Pontiac! Who cares what you think?" Sarah exclaimed.

"Doesn't Andre drive a Pontiac?" Greg asked.

"Yeah, he does," Rachel answered.

"So I'm like a psycho too, because I have the same brand car as he does?" Josh demanded. "Come on. Be serious."

"Okay, guys," Rachel said, as the car stopped again and Josh got out.

"Great conversation, guys," Josh said with some sarcasm, cheerfully shaking hands. "I always enjoy talking about my two favorite classmates."

"Always," Rachel agreed.

"It's my favorite pastime," Greg added.

The conversation drifted elsewhere as the car drove to Sarah's house, the three teenagers talking about some more mundane things, like graduation and the commencement ceremony. Then Sarah got out, saying goodbye as she went, and Greg and Rachel were left.

"You don't know how long I've waited to be in the back of an expensive rented car with you," Greg said, sitting alone on the rear bench seat, while Rachel sat on the one with its back to the glass partition between the passenger and driver areas.

Rachel laughed. "I didn't know you were that interested in me, Greg."

"Oh, see, it's not just Andre and Cal that have secrets," Greg said, smirking.

"And yours is that you're into me?"

"I _wanna_ be into you."

"Oh, Greg!" Rachel exclaimed, clapping a hand over her mouth and trying to hold back laughter.

The blond teenager laughed. "Okay, okay. I'll stop."

Rachel needed a minute to calm down, and she was still blushing when she looked at Greg again. "You should be careful how you talk to Andre," she said, turning serious. "If you do- well, Cal's pretty loyal to him."

"See, that's what we were all talking about," Greg said, gesturing with one hand. "Why? He's a nice guy, why's he so loyal to Andre, who isn't? What is it with those two? What are they hiding from everybody?"

"I don't know, Greg," Rachel said. She sighed, shaking her head. "I've never understood why Cal's such good friends with Andre. I know Cal and he doesn't get angry the way Andre does. He doesn't have- like, when Andre gets mad, he gets really, really mad. You can see it. Cal doesn't get like that at all."

"Maybe I'll just avoid 'em this last week or two," Greg said.

"You know, that's not a bad idea."

"Then I'll kiss Andre full on the mouth at graduation."

Rachel laughed again. "Greg, he really is gonna kill you if you do that."

"There'll be too many witnesses. He won't dare."

"I don't think Andre cares about witnesses. Or, he wouldn't. If he wanted to do something."

"So you think he'd _like_ it if I kissed him?"

"Greg."

"All right," Greg said, leaning back and waving a hand. "I can't wait for graduation. I mean, I never thought I'd be so glad to see two friends go their separate ways, but- I'm with you, Rachel. Andre can't go away fast enough."

"It'll probably take some time," Rachel said. "Cal really thinks Andre is his best friend. But once he gets to college he'll make new friends and move on. Andre- this doesn't sound nice, but I don't care what Andre does. I think Cal will be a lot happier once he's had some time away from Andre."

"I wonder if Andre was always like this," Greg mused. "Like, did he always hate everybody? Or did he get like this after a while?"

"I'm not sure. I _tried_ getting along with him, but…"

"…He didn't want to."

"Yeah." Rachel shook her head. "Well, don't worry about it, Greg. We're almost out of here."

"Yeah! Goin' stag to the Prom, and two more weeks, no more Andre Kriegman!" Greg yelled, suddenly pumped up. "But yeah," he said, dropping his voice again. "I think Cal will be able to make _way_ more friends once he lets go of Andre. It's just- sometimes you wonder if that's _ever_ gonna happen, the way those two are."

"It will," Rachel said, sounding more certain than she felt. "It'll just take time."

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 **A/N: 5-28-2017. Completed RS8! No more Restoration Series stories remain to be added, as I said. RS5 and RS6 need three additional chapters each, and RS7 needs 16 more chapters. But in terms of the stories submitted, this is the last one in the series. That part of the project- getting at least one chapter of every story, and every one-chapter story, back online is done.**

 **To my recollection, "Let's Not Like Them" was the shortest of the 8 deleted stories that I have focused the Restoration Series on. RS8 is also the shortest of the replacement stories. Honestly, you can only drag out a limo conversation between a handful of teenagers so long, at least when it concerns talking so seriously about two classmates.**

 **It is truly impressive, how well the original author looked into the movie and saw the potential for expanding upon it. Depicting the reactions of Chris, Rachel, the Krigemans, the Gabriels, on May 1, 2001, and weeks later. Doing written 'transcripts' of a video diary kept by Calvin from 1998 to April 2000, when the original author estimated Calvin and Andre made their pact to carry out an attack on their high school, the beginnings of Zero Day. Andre and Cal getting caught before the act- which they easily could have, and Eric and Dylan almost did. Cal attending the Prom, giving us a look at what he is really thinking on what only he and Andre know is one of the final nights of his life. Andre's thoughts after he leaves the pizza place on April 29, and the conversation between the other Prom-goers who rode in the limousine with Cal after he gets out of the car. Each and every idea takes something we see in the movie and expands upon it. It's amazing that one person thought of them, and executed each one so brilliantly.**

 **You might be wondering if, given my consistently high praise of the original author's work on this movie, I ever told them what I thought in a review or PM. The answer is yes to both. I was one of the only users ever to review any of the original stories when they were still up, from about December 2011 to sometime in 2016. For some of the old stories, namely some of the one-chapter works, the only review was mine. Sometime in the last few years, I sent a PM to the original author and told them at length what I thought of their work. I did get a response, brief as it was, and it was one of surprise and gratitude.**

 **My reviews of the original stories were mostly done at once, and that got a response from the original author. They promised to return the favor by reviewing my own** _ **Zero Day**_ **works, but they never did. Today the original author, who I have chosen to leave unnamed, no longer responds to PMs and left a brief message on their profile detailing that they are essentially finished with this site. The account is up and all the stories I recall it ever having are there… except the ones for** _ **Zero Day**_ **. Why that is, I don't know. But it doesn't matter. They chose to walk away and I chose to take the same titles and basic premises- and some original text- and put the stories back.**

 **I don't really know if this series will ever get feedback commensurate with the hours put into writing it, but fanfiction is a form of writing in which an author must be ready to do without much of a response to their work. This figure will vary, but I estimate that maybe 1 in 100 readers will leave even a single sentence, any kind of review at all. About 1 in 1,000 will actually write the kind of detailed, in-depth review that authors like me wish for. It's just how things go. But the bottom line is that I was so upset by the discovery that some of the finest fanfiction stories I'd ever come across on this site- stories that went to the very soul of** _ **Zero Day**_ **and made it seem as if the author had known Andre Kriegman and Calvin Gabriel personally- that I could not let it go. I didn't care about feedback, or whether I'd ever even really know if I had done a good job with any of the RS stories.**

 **What I did and do care about is doing it and doing it right. "Das beste oder nichts," as Gottlieb Daimler, the German automotive genius, was known to say. "The best or nothing." This series is not done yet, even if all the stories are now up, but having reached the end of the new stories to add for it, I can reflect a moment and say my goal from the start has been "The best or nothing". The original works, all 8 of them, deserve nothing less as I try to replace them. They were that good.**

 **I've said this before in my voluminous author's notes on this series, but I'll say it again here. My goal has been to give the readers of this site their stories back. If even one reader decides that I did this right- with even one of the RS stories- then the effort was entirely worth it.**

 **I do not know when I will complete the Restoration Series. Three stories are yet in-progress. But considering I have gotten quite a lot done in not even six months, I have hopes that I may be able to complete the entire series before the end of 2017. One way or another, I will not give up. I will keep at it until the RS works are completed, and at least some part of the brilliance and insightfulness of the original eight stories is returned to this site.**


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